Card tray construction and guide



ug. 20, 1935, s. B. FREIBERG CARD TRAY CONSTRUCTION AND GUIDE Filed Dec.

12, 1928 5 Shee'CS--SheeI l Aug-20,19%. s. B. FRE'BERG 4' 2,o11,679

CARD TRAY CONSTRUCTION ANDv GUIDE Filed Dec. 12, 1928 S SheetS-Sheet 2 3Sheets-Sheet 3 `s. B. FREIBERG CARD TRAY CONSTRUCTION AND GUIDE FiledDec. 12, ,1928

Aug. 20, 1935.

This inventon pertains Lfor use in fiiing cabinets.

and drawings.

Patented AugyZt, 1935 anten to a tray or drawer An object of theinvention is to provide a tray, simple in construction and operation,and having `a new Cooperation of its parts.

f Another object'is to provide a tray with a new and ei'ficient form ofmounting.

i Another object is to provide a tray having means'by which the filingcards are automatically reversed and returned to an inoperative positionwhen the trayis pushed into itscabinet. These objects are attained inthe present in- V vention, thel construction and operation of which areexplained in the accornpanying specification In thendrawings, Pig.` l isa side elevational Viewpartly broken away of the tray andA its guidemounted ina suitable cabinet.

, Fig; 2 is ane'nlarged view of. a portion of Fig.

1,` but showingv parts different relative posi-` tions. i. i

Fig. 3 is a'ztopiplanviewV of the tray with parts broken away. V4: I: p

' `li'ig'l is a-View'onlinei-li of Fig. 3. ..Fig..5 isz'aview online 5-5of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a view on line 6-6 of Fig. 3. i Fig'? is a view on line ,1-1of Fig. 3.

3 Figs. 8 and 9 `areyiews of the guide in which the tray is mounted.--.Fig.`r10 is-a fragmentary perspective `view of one sideofrthe tray.w.

. The .tray proper is formed of a single stamped sheet of metal and hasthe fiat base ii! and the Vertioal-si'des and |2 which are turned in andsuitably' Channeled and slotted to accommodate filing cards asindicated' at |26 (Fig. 5). The Vertical Vfront wall |3 is 'turnedinwardly along its topv and has at either end the formed extension'A Mwhich is turned backwardly and attached =to the outer faces of sides and12. This extension |l is one of the cooperating elements of a lock whichis shown and claimed in my copending application'Sc-rial Number 342,645filed Februarytz, 1929. .A fiat tab |5 is cut from the *turned-inportion of front-wal1 3 adjacent either end thereof. Each tab |5isturned down upon the adjacent top edge of sides li.v and |2 andsecuredthereon` for the purpose of firmly holding'together the front wall andthe sides of I'the `tray.

v'I'he rear end extension IS ,ofebase M3 is initially longer than thesides and E2 of thettray. The side edges of extension i areinwardlyoffset so that :extension |6 can be turned upon itself up-Jwardly and inwardly, without interference with sides l and |2, in orderto form the hinge memberorbearing 59. -Perforations |1 and |8 may beprovided inextension |6 before the latter is formed into a hinge member.The extreme endwise edge of extension IG may be secured to o;

base IO as indicated at '25. V A rod or hinge pin 2d, extendingoutwardly beyond sides H and |2, is secured in hinge member or bearingig. Rod 2| abuts the turned-in Vertical fiaps 22 formed on the endportions of the tray sides li and |2. l0:

In theiforward portion of base I, is positio-ned aifiller 23, thepurpose of which is to facilitate handling of the filing cards bypreventing their fiat contact with base Ill. Filler `23 is a metal plateprovided with short sidewalls which decrease in height from the front tothe rear of the plate. The greatest height of these side walls, however,is somewhat less than the height of tray sides and |2. Rear portion 24of filler 2,3 is .'flattened against basel `and spurs or lugsl i 25,which are struck up from base |0, are pressed down upon portion 24, thusretaining filler 23 in position. Side ledges 26, receding from the upperface of plate 23, 'permit the fingers of one using the file to be easilyinserted beneath the 25 edges of the cards and permit limited depressionof the'lateral edge portions of the cards for facilitatingsuch'insertion.

A primary cover plate 21 preferably of some fibrous material' is hingedupon rod 2|. lHinge v members 28 and 29 may be metal strips looped aboutrod 2| at the open spaces afforded by perforations |1 and |8. The leavesof hinges 28 and 29 extend oniopposite sides of cover plate 21 and maybesecured to cover plate 21 in any suitable manner and by any suitablemeans, for example,` teeth S0 which extend through cover plate 21.

Secondary cover plate 3|, similar to primary cover vplate 21, is hingedupon base H) adjacent the rear end thereof and in alignment with plate21. Cover plate 3| is slightly shorter than filing cardsv 32, whileplate 21 is longer than plate 3| and cards 32. Plate 3| is attached byhinges 34 to base |0. The pivotal mountings of plates 21 and -3| arespaced by a distance less than the V p portion 35 thereof, is secured totray base li! and i provides an upstanding 'slotted Vlug 36. V-member 31has anintegral T-shaped arm.38 byli-which V-member 3l ,is pivotall'yfastened in the slottedl lug 36.' Vmember''l, on the corners'of free.

V edge, provides bearings 39.A Betweenthes'e bear- Vings 391.' is,positioned' the clamp' 4D, similar to hinges 28, being an integralstrip doubled upon itself toaiford two leaves and looped at its basczg'j4 The present inventionftherefore; increases effirciency andconvenience in filing' systems. The

to provide a bearing, throughV which, and through bearings 39, e'xtendsa pinfl'.v The'leavesof clamps 4G secure Vplate 3| between them. Theplate sohinged is adapted when lying forwardly,

'to' assume a :perfectly fiat-` position on varying thicknessesof cardsthat may be used in thetray v at different times. V I

'Drawer-guide42 isa U-shaped member. Its arms 43 and back M.are'channel-'shapedjwith their open sides facingV inwardly. "Arms 43,at their rear ends. provide extensions 45 within Awhich the back M issuitably secured, as by weldsing. Lugs 46 are struck Aout from the'v topporfront, bearings at the rear of .theV base and formed I tions of arms43 adjacentl the'front ends thereof'and at --opposite points; The frontendsof arms 43 are'form'ed A so 'as to afford the narrowed oportions 4?having'fcurved end abutments' 48.

Aligned'openings 49 are provided in the upperV .sidesfofthe arms 43,just beyond narrowed por- Jtions l lA' suitable bumper'5 extendsinwardly from the back 44 ofguide 42.; V

I Guide 42 is adapted vto'fit snugly between two. of the' shelves 5|,and vbetween the sides of a suitable cabinet '52.`` The length of 'guideM? is i lessV than thefcabin'et's length.- As guide 42 is somewha-tvresilient,it yieldsfslightly to permit '40-' lugs 45 to passthefrontinner 'edgefl abutment 53 of the cabinet, this abutment being? normallyprovided by the turned-in front edgesof the cabiinet. After lugsf46 havethusfipassed abutmentV 531,' guideglig sprea'ds and lugs 46 prevent itswith- 451 drawal past` abutmnts V53u11less arms [434. are:

again pressed-;towardfone another.

can be operatively "positioned by inserting' the outer eridsof rod 2!through openings 43, rod

f 5305 2! beingfslig'htly shorter than the'fdistanc'-e'be-V tween arms42. The-tray may Vn('wbeiallowedl tof-hang down verti'cally;l suspendedfromguide p 42, with theends ofrods 2| held by the Curved abutinents48.V The normal ,operativeffposition 55?? of the tray issho-wn'- in Fig.,1, the convenient method of thus :supporting the tray` being topull'Vout one ofthetraysiifnmediately Vbeneath.

The-cards V32 and 'cover'plates' 21 and-3| 'are V now in the positionshowri'in l'fig 3.3 The card to' v Gil-be used'is turnedVover,which'actmn causes the jlth'e lower portion of plate''l. the' trayis i pushed in, plate 'liis-moved in the direction'indicated bythe'arrows', `andfthrough the positions shown in 'ig.V The upper edgeof'plate' 3|] con-v tinues to rest against plate-21; and ridesfup on7'Gh'plate 27 as the latterassumes ai'vertical position.

'I'hereafter,'the relative positions of the'two plates are` reverse'dasshown in dotfted'lines in Fig.--2; The cards -32 are of course,simultaneously actuated by 'plate' 3 I, 'sothat the pushing-inV of thetray vl returns Cards and'cover platesl tothe position v i z cabinet.When-guide-fi is'placedfas 'in'Fig`; l the trayV H "4. In combinationwith a tray with, cards pivotally held-thereima paizfofzv shown in Fig.3. It is tobe noted that at no time in the process of movement ofcardsand plates,

;does plate 27 come into contact'with the topsof the `cards 32, so that.no'fraying of the latter occurs.V i

. InV the closing process just described guide A2 moves'backward intothe cabinet until it contacts 'the rear thereof. Thereupon,'the ends ofrod 2| slide backward in the Channels lafforded by the I arms `V43,*andithe tray moves intov the lcabinet .upon its shelf until it contactsVwthe bumper 5B. A suitable handle 54 is positioned upon the outside ;of;the front wall'l3.

trays provide for swift manipulation ofthe cards.

'The cover Vplates add much to the life of the cards by greatly reducingthe amount of handling neces-` Sary. The Suspension of the traysexteriorly of the cabinet provides for a convenient writing positionwith none'of the inconveniences that Wouldl l. In combination Withafi'iling cabinet, a filing' tray comprising a base having Verticalsides' and .by doubling a section of the base upon itself, said sectionbeing provided with rectangularperforations in' that portion forming thebearings, airod ls'ecurecl in the bearings, theV ends of the' rod`extendingfheyond thesides ofthertray, a plate hinged upon'the rod inthespaces provided byth'e. y i 'perforationa andia Vsecond plate hingedto'the/ base in front of the iirstpiate ata''listan'ce''lessl than.` thelength of fsaid first p1ate;.'-{ andja U-shaped guidememberwithiff'channeled sides opening inwardly ofV theguide, said guidebeingV adapted to fit into the cabinet, lugs adjacent the free'ends,ofthe guide to .prevent normal with- Vdrawal of the guide from thecabinet, abutments closingnthe Vfree ends of the .channels ofsaidV U-shaped guide, the guide being Vadapted tojrecei'vein its sides the endsof the above rod whereby't'o support the 'tray'when the latter' isdrawnfrom the 2. A filing net' and having its free ends'-closed;flugsadjacent tray with a transverse rod secured.

' at the' rear thereof, the endsof the rodprojecting at both sides ofthe tray, a U-shaped guide member adapted vto slidablyhold theends 'ofIsaid transsos. verse rod, `the guide being receivable in the cabiiwithin the tray, its backward ypivotal niovementV i being limited bycontact with the cabinet parts? and a second fiat plate hingedvwithinthe trayv front of the first plate`,its backward pivotal move- Tsoffment being limited by contact with the first plate,

'said second plate being placed directly behind the filing cardsnormally pivotd within the tray.4

"3.'A lhin'ge for use with cover plates and the like, and comprising vabase p'ortion'adapted to be. secured to a suitableV surface, said baseproviding a perforat'ed upstanding'lug;A a second .member having aV-s'haped channel |opening upwardly,

Vone edgejof said channel providing an arm ipivot-i ally secured in saidupstanding lug, the other edgef of the channel. providingbearings, athird mem-" 'berl'adaptedto clamp a cover ,plate or'rthe like,

and means for` hingedly holding said third memi ber withinsaidbearings.

filing cabinet and a Vza spaced plates transversely pivoted in the trayadjacent the rear thereof, the front plate being adapted to support thecards, the rearward plate being adapted to support the front plate andto be itself supported against the cabinet when the tray is drawn outtherefrom.

5.V In combination a cabinet, a tray movable to positions within andvwithout the cabinet, means for movably connecting the tray andrthecabinet, a pair of plates transversely pivoted within the tray, saidplates being so positioned that when the tray is drawn out to -itslimit, one plate 'may be pivoted backwardly beyond the Vertical to restagainst the cabinet, andthe other plate may be pivoted backwardly to asubstantially horizontal position, its top edge overlapping and restingagainst the bottom portion of the`other plate.

6. The combination with a filing cabinet and a tray having cardstransversely pivoted therein and lying substantially horizontal, twoplates transversely pvoted in spaced relation in the tray behind thecards, the rearmost plate in the outdrawn position of Vthe tray beingadapted to V be pivoted rearwardly into contact against the cabinet andto support the other plate in a rearwardly pivoted position, said platesadapted to reverse the cards from a rearwardly projecting to a forwardlyprojecting position upon movement of the tray into the cabinet.

7. The combination with'a filing cabinet, of atray having cardstransversely pivoted therein andtwo plates hinged in spaced relation inthe tray behind the cards and one plate adapted to i contact the cabinetto pivot the plates'and cards forwardly upon movement of the tray intothe cabinet. i i V e 8. A filing cabinet, a tray guide in the cabinet, atray having pivotal and sliding` con'ection with said guide, a row ofcards pivoted on the tray and` means for reversing the cards uponmovement of 'the tray into the cabinet, the tray and the card--reversingmeans being movable on a common pivotal axis.

9. The combination of a filing cabinet, a tray having cards pivotallymounted thereon, means for mounting the tray for pivotal movementrelative to the cabinet when Withdrawn and means for reversing the cardsupon movement of the tray into the cabinet, the tray and thecard-reversing means being movable on a common axis.

`10. A filing tray comprising a base with' upturned sides and front, therear of the base having aligned perforations and being bent transverselyupon itself along the line of said perforations to form bearings, a rodsecured in the bearings and extending outwardly beyond the sides of thetray, and tabs integral with the front of the tray and secured to thetray sides for binding together the front and sides of the tray.

11. In combination, a filing tray having filing cards pivotally heldtherein transversely thereof, aligned spaced bearings at the rear end ofthe tray, a rod held in said bearings and extending outwardly beyond thetray sides to provide for pivotal mounting of the tray, a flat platehinged to the rod in the spaoes between said spaced bearings, and asecond fiat plate hingedly held within the tray imm-ediately behind saidfiling cards and in alignment therewith, the distance between said twoplates being less than the length of said second plate.

12. The combination with a filing tray having a row of overlapping cardspivotally held therein and normally adapted to lie fiat against the basethereof, of 'means secured to the base of thetrayfo'r'spacingthe cardsat one end of :the

row from the base-and `for permitting limited depression of the lateralportions thereof.

13.`In combination With a filing tray having baseand sides, and meansadapted to pvotally.

and within the side Walls 'of the plate, the'surface of the ledges beingdisposed substantially' beneath the surface of the plate, said platebeing adapted to space the front cards in the -tray from the'base andsadledges affording a clearancebeneath the lateral edges of'the cards topermit convenient handling thereof. w f

Ill. In`V combination with a filing tray having cards pivotally heldthereinandl normally adapted to lie fiat against the base thereof, afiller' plate positionedin the front of the tray; and having lateralsupports spacing the plate from the base and supporting the plateangularly within'the tray so that the front portion rests in a higherplane than the rear portion thereof, the surface of the plate beingadapted to support the front cards in the'trayand falling within 'thelateral edges thereof Whereby said edges are 'held clear for convenienthandling. i

15. The combination Witha tray and a row of overlapping cards, carriedby the tray and movable therein,` of means for supporting 'theoverlapping portions of the cards at one end of the row,: for spacingsaid supporte-d portion of the cardsfrom the bottom of the tray andlforpermitting depression of the lateraledges thereof. *i

- 16. The combination of a tray, a row of cards each having an end Witha spaced transverse pivoted connection with the tray whereby the cardsoverlap at their free ends, when reposing in the tray, and means at oneend of the tray for supporting the free end of the endmost card at thefront of the tray and for permitting depression of the lateral edgesthereof.

17. The combination of a tray, a row of overlapping flexible cardspivotally carried by the tray, the row of cards extending longitudinallyof the tray and in their normal positions reposing substantiallyparallel with the bottom of the tray, and a plate at one end of the rowof cards and having a depression extending longitudinally of the tray,the plate supporting the cards at one end of the row when the cards arein their normal positions, and the cards being adapted for flexing intothe depression for facilitating grasping of adjoining cards supportedabove the plate.

18. In combination with a filing cabinet, a filing tray comprising abase having Vertical sides and front, bearings at the rear of the baseand formed by doubling a section of the base upon itself, said sectionbeing provided with rectangular perforations in that portion forming thebearings, a rod secured in the bearings, the ends of the rod beingdisposed at the sides of the tray, a plate hinged upon the rod in thespaces provided by the perforations, and a second plate hinged to thebase in front of the first plate at a distance less than the length ofsaid first plate; and a U-shaped guide member with channeled sidesopening inwardly of the guide, said guide being adapted to fit'into theVcabinet, lugs adjacentthe Vfreegend of the guide'to preventnormalwithdrawal of the guide from the Gabinet abutments cloingthefree Iends of the 'Channels of said. U-shaped guide,theV ""5 'ends of theabove rodzwherebltovsupportthe tray when the latter is .drawn from thec'ab'inehV i ,i adjacent said plate andiwherebythe lateral'edgesvofcards so supported. may be depressed,V the -de7 30' ;19. A filing traycomprising Va Vbaewwith up- I turned sides and front,the rearofthebafsehavingv I upon itself along the line'of :said perforations to'aligned perforations and: being bent transversely formbearings, a rodsecured inrtheyb'earing's'tand being with its ends disposd. atfthef idesVof j the: h V'tray'and tabs integral'with thefront ofthe tray 15,3.

andpsecured Zto the tray side's'for binding together thefrontfand sidesof thetray. j.

i 20. The combination with a, tray' having: aqsub;) j stantially flatbottomj and upstanding sides .of ,a

1 row of overlapping cards pivoted at their vop/p'osite ends along theupstanding sidesofthe tray, ;and an inclined plateat one end of thetrasaid plate A"extending substantially across :the tray between theVvi'ipstandirig sides, and'risngv upwardlytoward the [end of the'V trayat .which thefplate isdispoed, the lateral ,edges ofV the'plate beingde-` Vpres'sed whereby the central. portion of theplatemaylsuppcrt-the-cards at theendof the row pressed portions of the plate.;limiting the extent a to which the lateralcard edgesmayvbedepressed.

21; A filing tray comprising'a basie wi'tl'nup-v i turned sides andfront, vntherear of ;the base hav-V ing alignedperforations'andbeing'bent trans versely upon itself along the line of' `said. perforations to :formV bearingsga rod secured in'the bear; ings and extendingoutvvardly,.beyond thebear-` ingfs', and; tabs integral With thefront Zof the. tray and'secured to the tray sides for binding 'together thefront and sides ofthe tray;

2,2.,jI'he combination of a Gabinet, a tray guide reciprocally received;infthe Gabinet a; tray re,-

" ciprocally received in the guide,v the 'cabi-net,VV guide and. traybeing lsov relatedl that the tray maybe,

fully withdrawn from thecabinet; Without dis-:

turbing the operativerelation of said'rnembevrsJV without separating thetray from the .guide and wthoutseparating ther'guide from the cabinet,VaV W rowV of 'record-cards' having pivotal axes at one Vfoi'wardly ofthe trayupon'returnof vthe tray into thecabinet. v 57;; z 23. Thecombination o v a cabinet,a tray, a row of overlappingrecordv cardspivotalIy vsupported i at'one end transverselyofl andby the tray, thecards adapted to be moved about their* vsupports to selectively disposethefree ends of lthe cardsV Atoward opposite 'ends ofthetray,laconnection between the tray and Gabinet v;Wherebv the Vtray'pmay have pivotalV movementonfan-axis substantially parallelwithzthe'axesfor, pvots o flthe reG-` i Qrd cards, and a platehaving,tpivotal'movement aboutftheaxis of the tray, saidplatev adaptedto have contact. withth :re,fvirrnflvst record'card and with thecetbineh'Whereby the -pliate Willturn the record cards upon their' axesto project the vfree 'ends of the cards forwardly ;ofjthe Vtray upomovement of thetray into the 'cabinet. z i 1v i CERFICATE QFCC'RRECTIGN.

Patent Ne. 2011,6 August 20, 1935,

STANLEY B. FREIBERGF M is hereby certiied thai ermr eppears in theprinted specification of the ahove numbered patent requrieg cerreeton asolows: Page 4, first coiemn, line 13, elaim 19, srike em the Ward"beieg"; and that the said Letters Paent swuld be read with thseefreetion theren that the same may cennrm to the record of the case inthe Patent ffice.

Sgned and seale this 8th day ef October, A. I). 1935.

Leslie Frezer (Seal) Acting Commssiener of Patents.

